Supreme Court rejects Louisiana dirt farmer’s appeal

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court has turned away an appeal from a Louisiana dirt farmer who complained that a local flood control district took his soil without paying enough for it.

The justices did not comment Monday in leaving in place a Louisiana Supreme Court ruling against Chad Jarreau (JAR’-roh) of Cut Off, Louisiana.

The local government agency in charge of protection from hurricanes took the dirt from just under an acre of Jarreau’s property to build up a nearby levee.

The agency initially paid him just $1,326. Jarreau won a judgment of $164,000 for the dirt after a trial, but ended up with less than $12,000 after the state high court ruled.

Jarreau had dug up most of his 17-acre tract and sold the dirt for use in construction projects.